Processing of energy projects to be reduced to 30 days from 1 year

The Department of Energy (DOE) on Tuesday vowed to expedite the processing of papers related to major energy projects.

The DOE announced that the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of EO 30 signed by President Rodrigo Duterte in June 2017 was published in major newspapers last May 4, and will take effect immediately.

The EO created the Energy Investment Coordinating Council (EICC) to streamline the regulatory procedures affecting energy projects of national importance.

Under the IRR, the processing of permits and licenses for projects declared as “Energy Projects of National Significance (EPNS)” shall only take 30 days. The 30-day period starts from the submission of the complete documentary requirements to the relevant agencies involved in the permitting process.

Cusi said the IRR marks the end of slow-moving energy projects that were impeding the economic development in the country because thay are hampered to a large extent by the rigid regulatory processes.

“Before the IRR, processing of documents takes a year, and agencies also tend to pinpoint or blame one another,” DOE spokesperson told the Philippine News Agency.

Examples of projects of national significance, according to Fuentebella, include “building a connection in transit line from Visayas to Mindanao; a 600 megawatt plant to address the immediate need of Luzon grid, for instance.”

The DOE said the IRR would apply the principle of presumption of prior approvals. “This means that a holder of the EPNS Certificate is presumed to have already complied with the requirements and permits from other government permitting agencies,” it said. (PNA)